Under The Wraps
by Kaitourei
Summary: So how do the Yu-Gi-Oh! charactrs really feel about ff.net? They tell me; I tell you. *Complete*
1. Seto Kaiba

[Rewritten/edited 6/15]

Due to the non-Bakura content of the American airing of Battle City I've had to have some different inspiration… so, if I can't enjoy watching my favorite characters I'll just talk to them! Thus this fic was invented. Just a brief warning before I start, I will be writing this at night… late at night and my brain will slowly be shutting down, so beware of bad grammar, colorful language and my twisted humor. Hopefully some of these will provoke some thought…

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Under The Wraps

Entry 01: Seto Kaiba

(Hello readers, writers and whatnot. Welcome to "Under the Wraps", a little time consuming ficlet of mine that takes you closer to the cast of Yu-Gi-Oh! and their true feelings about fanfiction.net.) 

(On this particular day my victim is Seto Kaiba, multimillionaire, child prodigy, and not to mention CEO of the multibillion-dollar company, Kaiba Corp.) 

(We shall begin in a finely varnished café somewhere in the affluent part of Domino, Japan. In frount of us Mr. Kaiba is sipping his drink, as silence fall upon us. In this decorative environment I can anticipate to one thing: I hope he's paying.)

Q: Hello Mr. Kaiba, doing well I presume?

S (Seto): As well as you can be in this… world.

Q: Let's get to the point, shall we? So, Kaiba, how do you feel about fanfiction.net, or "this world" as you called it, and your willing or unwilling involvement in it?

S: How would and self-respective man feel? I had no opinion in the first weeks of my existence here. After all the largest threat to me was death by one of Yami's fan girls, but that is nothing in comparison to the present. Things happen here that would make Satan himself crawl under a rock and hide…

Q: I see… But there's more isn't there? Per se, yaoi?

S: That would be only one part of my problems here. It seems I'm paired with over a dozen other males… Yami and Katsuya (Jou) being the most popular. Then there's Mokuba. He's everything to me… just not in that way. Why people write Yaoi, Yuri, and/or rape stories not to mention other bi or heterosexual is beyond me. Intercourse is a necessary part of life, but people are taking things to the extreme. 

Q: Well, I believe we've had enough of that topic. Let's move on to something more… how do you feel about your other roles in the fanfictions?

S: I could care less for these day dreaming writers. One of my newest problems would be the Mary Sue. The new trend among authors under the influence of the US airing seems to be throwing in a sad, abused, yet ever so perfect young girl into the plot and twisting it into their own fiendish tale of love, loss, and whatnot. 

Q: Now that you've mentioned Mary Sue-ism? How bad is it?

S: It could be worse, have you been over to Gundam Wing A/C? The pilots have their hands full with those damned creations. Sometimes, it would be nice to wipe out my Blue Eyes and blast those ignorant girls away for good but…

Q: Authoress powers stopping you, eh? Or is it the fact that Mary Sue's don't seem to die?

S: Both. 

Q: How do you feel about your heterosexual roles, and more importantly which woman in the cast are you attracted to.

S: Back to the sex talk again, is that all you authors out there are able to comprehend? As for my preferences, that's none of your damn business. 

Q: Since you don't seem to be attracted to anyone on the series, why don't you explain why these relationships wouldn't work?

S: Persistent aren't you?

Q: Very. Now please elaborate…?

S: One of the main couples I see is myself and Serenity or Shizuka, Jou's little sister. What I find most disturbing about this isn't that it's actually the mutt's blood relation; it's the fact that she's almost as old as Mokuba. Which brings us back to that unpleasant thought…

Q: All right then, how about Ishizu, or Isis, as they call her?

S: Another age difference… Her brother is my age, which makes her older than myself. I don't support that kind of a relationship but I'd choose her over Shizuka. 

Q: So the dragon tamer's against robbin' the cradle. Well then, how about one of my personal aversions, Tea?

S: The corny-friendship-speech-girl? You're joking, right. Most anyone can see that both Yugi and his darkness like her. I don't see why I'm even in the picture.

Q: Quite agreed. But there's Mai Valentine. Rich, classy, with a fiery attitude to match… my, my Kaiba; you may have just met your match.

S: I hardly think so. She may have money but she doesn't have the class. In my opinion too much skin and trash talk. I've heard enough from Jou. And… don't call me Seto.

Q: Right. Speaking of Jou, do you agree that the American series is leading toward a Mai/Jou relationship? 

S: Yes, and it's another reason she and I don't work well together: she's the puppy's bitch.

Q: Harsh Kaiba, harsh. One more thing and you're free for now, how do you fee about your "evil" roles in some of the fiction?

A: I believe it's better than the lemons and Mary Sue-ism, if that's what you mean. But I'm the genius, multibillionaire not a common murderer or rapist. You could hire some other creep to do that, it seems more logical to me.

Q: Well, then Seto Kaiba I believe our interview is over. Thank you for your time.

S: You should, now if you'll excuse me I have a business meeting in an hour - courtesy of some god forsaken author - I'll need to freshen up. 

(Mr. Kaiba walks out the door. So he is human after all. But who could keep a straight face when dealing with what these characters do each day. The familiar chill spreads through the room as another fic is cast into the subreality. Alone in the café, I smile: atleast he paid the bill.)

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Disclaimer: I don't own YGO, or Kaiba… sux don't it?

Hehe… I'm going to be flamed for this; I can feel the heat already. I'll admit I am pretty much against shounen-ai and incest (defiantly) but I'll slide on the Mary Sue thing. (It just disgusts me when I read a really space consuming fic involving an OC.) I did write my own OC but I took extra precautions one that one. 

Anyway, I'll accept criticism… as long as it's constructive. I know someone is going to disagree with some of the views here.

Review and VOTE for who is interviewed next time!


	2. Yami Yugi & Yami Bakura

And the vote stands:

Malik- 1

Ryou- 1

Yami Bakura- 4

Jou- 3

Yugi- 1

Yami- 4

Pegasus- 1

Mai- 1

Since Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi are in a dead tie, I decided to combine them into one nifty interview. (Don't worry, if you want I'll interview them one-on-one in later chapters if you ask.) Plus, it would be interesting to have them in the same room discussing this certain subject… fun, ne?

Before we start I need to acknowledge some people's reviews:

Chys Lattes: Yay, my 1st reviewer! Hm… you seem to be pretty educated on the Japanese version of YGO (which I'm ashamed to say I'm not…) Maybe you could fill me in a little more? Well, thanks for reviewing and here's hopping you'll enjoy this chapter.

BlueEyesWhiteDragonTamer: You don't give me much to work with here… Oh well, thanks for the review and I'll keep a slot open for Mai, she's one of the cooler characters in my opinion.

sakuya: Glad you liked it! And like Mai, I'll keep a slot open for Pegasus too. I'm planning to do ALL the YGO characters!

S. A. Bonasi: Wow, you sure know a lot about Yu-Gi-Oh, I'm impressed. BTW, thanks for the links and info, it'll really help me write this and other fics. As for Mary Sue's and yaoi, yes there are exceptions; I'll admit I enjoy some of them. I'm just trying to make a point. The characters (to me) seem like the average persons (Ok, maybe nothing near average) But I'm going with the majority here… Anyway, thanks again for reviewing!

Dragonet: Congrats! Yami Bakura IS next… heh, hope you enjoy this!

Aikenka: Malik's got a few more votes to get, but I promise I'll write an entry for him!

LukeSkywalker'sLady: Well Yami Yugi's going! As for writing your own, I'm totally for it! But if you do post it (which I think you should!) you're setting yourself up for criticism; because some people I know would be really offended with this fic. Tell me if you do post it, I'm eager to know what others think! 

Kurai chan: Don't worry, I expected some people to respond the way you did. (I'm glad you didn't go hell bent on me, though!) ^_^; But like I was saying to S. A. Bonasi, there are exceptions and everyone is entitled to their own opinion (mine being portrayed in this fic). 

ZENOSYKE EXE: Couldn't have said it any better! As for your vote, yes Yami is next!

Dawn: Thanks for reviewing! As for Jou, well, his time will come. 

Sento-Kami: Hi there! Glad you like this fic, and I agree with you completely, some lemons are pretty good… But I'm not a true Mary Sue hatter; there are some good ones out there, but only a slim few. As for your vote, I wasn't sure if you meant Ryou Bakura or Yami Bakura, so I counted them both! But if you did mean Yami Bakura your in luck!

Sia: Ah, yes. If you really want to know why I'm against Shounen-ai, the truth of the matter is it just doesn't appeal to me. But I have no power over other people's points of view and I don't mean to totally diss or try to persuade people from writing it; this fic is simply I little piece of my (and others) opinion of the subject. Mary Sues, as you asked, are simply original characters inserted into the YGO world. They are beautiful, and perfect in most every way; some are naïve and others are as blood thirsty as Yami Bakura. Usually they fall in love with one of the YGO cast or have many of the cast fall in love with them… I think I've said enough for know. Thanks for reviewing and don't worry about the vocab! ^_~

SerenaArythusa: An octagon, eh? I'd say it's a dodecahedron (twelve sided figure) or more. As for close-minded, sorry if I offended you. I have read some of the mentioned subjects and I did enjoy a few. I'm going to try to be liberal in the fic, maybe I'll even show the other point of view… *evil smile*

KingOfHearts NCKRAM: I'm glad you enjoyed this, and I believe Malik will be coming pretty soon. In the mean time Yami Nicole can enjoy a Yami Bakura filled chapter!

~DarkAngel~: Glad you like it, and I apologize if I was to negative on this thing. I'll try to be fair on this thing. 

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Under The Wraps

Entry 02: Yami & Yami Bakura

(750 words later, the interview finally starts… Again welcome to "Under the Wraps"! We have an unusual situation here, and since it would be an oh-so interesting experiment, today we'll be talking with BOTH Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi. As you can imagine, the long time enemies will have lots to say to each other and our topic.)

(Our location this time is in the oh so tranquil Domino Park. Across from me, Yami and Yami Bakura, as we'll call them, are seated stiffly. Tempers are high and tensing is radiating through the air. This will be _interesting_…)

Q: Before we start I want this to be an interview, not a blood bath. Agreed?

Y (Yami): As long as the soul stealer can keep his hands off my Puzzle.

B (Yami Bakura): Such presumption Pharaoh, we're here to speak on a topic both of us agree on. Which is a rare occurrence. 

Y: Indeed.

Q: Good, now lets take this from the top: how do you feel about all the roles you play in this "illusion", so to speak?

B: You'll have to be more precise, after all there are roles that I enjoy.

Y: And what might that be Bakura? Mass murder, rape, plundering, world domination, blood baths?

B: Not necessarily in that order, Pharaoh. And I'm sure you enjoy the many of the roles you've played. After all, I know millennia's away from your personal harem would do that to a man like you, wouldn't it?

Y: Bakura…! I… Did… Not… Have… A… Harem…

Q: Please! Let's stay on the subject, okay? Now, Yami what's your take on these yaoi and/or shounen-ai fics?

Y: The idea isn't one of my likings. It seems I'm engaged to almost the entire cast. I do not mean separately, one minute I'm with my aibou, the next I'm in the arms of Kaiba. It's all very confusing. 

B: Ah, the perks of being the lead character.

Y: Very funny Bakura, but I'm speaking truly. It seems logical to me, though, since the cast of Yu-Gi-Oh! is mainly consistent of males. And in all fairness, the authors are the ones who choose what to write. We cannot stop them.

(Glancing over at Bakura, we see him seethe at Yami's last statement.)

B: "We can't stop them"! You are a pathetic Pharaoh, if I ever saw one! 

Y: Then what do you suggest Bakura? How do you stop someone from playing god? I may have been a Pharaoh, but that means nothing. After all, we don't _exist_ in their world…

B: Then what are we? Yes, we live in this subreality created by Kazuki Takahashi, and this subreality is ever expanding as the minds of millions of authors pour input into our reality, changing it with every fic. Maybe you could say we're puppets - marionettes so to speak - forced into situations and influenced by the thoughts of these authors. We play out their fantasies; we commit their crimes; and yet we can think. We have an opinion. Ages ago I heard a saying: I think therefore I exist. You're wrong Pharaoh we do exist but we are not entirely free.

Q:  Perceptive Bakura, but that doesn't answer the question. How do _you_ feel about your roles here on fanfiction?

B: Now where would the fun be in that if I told you?

(Bakura cocks a thin eyebrow and Yami growls at his enemy's remark.)

Y: Admit it, Bakura, you are a sadistic bastard and you enjoy ever minute of this hell!

B: Pharaoh, I have been to Hell and it is nothing compared to this. No it's not the yaoi, lemons, or the Mary Sues, it's the fact I can't decide what to do on my own. I'm being controlled; my will is bent! And as I try to fight it I know every second of my struggling I… will… not… win!

(Birds in the nearby trees scatter as Bakura shouts and slams his fist into his palm. Yami winces slightly and avoids Bakura's crimson glare.)

Q: If I asked you how this makes you feel, I'd sound like a damn psychiatrist. Instead, lets discuss the growing popularity of Mary Sue-ism? What do you have to say?

Y: They don't bother me as much as some of the other themes here. They're predictable. Sometimes the Sue is my adopted daughter, or maybe Kaiba's long lost sister or cousin. When I do end up involved with one, there's always some dramatic climax where I rescue them from the clutches of Malik or another OC. Like I said: predictable.

Q: Bakura?

B: Four words: Very bad soap opera.

Q: Well… that sums up their plots pretty much, but how do you feel?

B: How do I feel? How do you think I feel? Sometimes I'm "in love" and sometimes I'm the evil spirit of the Ring, bent on capturing the poor Sue and using her for my own evil purposes. 

Hehe, personally I don't see why I would even want one of them near me. These authors forget I'm here to obtain the Millennium Items, not become involved with some hormone struck teenager. And for Ra's sake, I'm dead!

It's quite irritating really…

Q: Since we're past the Mary Sue stage, Yami, how do you feel about the females you've been paired with?

Y: I can say I feel much more comfortable with them than with other males. I can only really see myself with one though… Mai, Shizuka (Serenity), Ishizu, and Miho (who doesn't appear in the US version)… they're all beautiful in their own way, but I don't find a relationship with them logically possible. Tea and I seem connected some how, if I were to choose one it would be her.

(Bakura chuckles slightly to himself.)

B: The valiant Pharaoh and his bubbly friendship-loving cheerleader… I could choke on the sweetness. 

Y: Well then Bakura, whom are you most romantically inclined to?

B: I'm a spirit sharing the body of a clumsy high school loner. I'm hardly seen close to anyone of the opposite sex. I'm "a sadistic bastard and enjoy ever minute of this hell", as you put it. And I'm technically DEAD. 

Y: I'm much like you Bakura… You know that.

B: Yes, unfortunately, only the "sadistic bastard" part separates us, doesn't it Pharaoh?

Q: Bakura, you're avoiding the question again. How do you feel about the females you're paired with?

B: Take any female in this damn show and try us out as a couple… it just doesn't work! Somethings just don't. Like this interview your doing, do you actually think you'll stop people from writing yaoi and whatnot? 

Q: What? Bakura I'm only – 

B: Expressing your opinion? Why? Why even try, no one will stop. No one will care what we feel, no ever does - 

Y: Bakura! Get a hold of yourself; this is our chance to speak. She's giving us a voice.

(Bakura looks away, there's a dangerous glint in his eyes.)

 B: Yes Pharaoh, that is a nice thought, isn't it? A voice… a voice that comes from mouths of colored paper… how comforting. 

Y: Bakura… have hope.

B: Hope…? Hope is a cruel curse placed upon mankind.

(Bakura pulls his coat tighter around him and stands to leave.)

Y: Where are you going?

B: Somewhere out there a depressive little author is writing a suicide fic… for me.

Q: So this is how you deal with your pain, Bakura?

Y: You cannot give up like this grave robber.

(Bakura throws his head back and laughs.)

B: Yami, you know as well as I that I'll be back. As long as we're remembered we'll exist. We're immortal until the last author out there looses interest… Ironic, we know we're slaves for eternity… yet we're powerless to stop it.

(Bakura turned on his heel and walked quietly out of the park. His white hair contrasts sharply with the black coat, as restless eyes scan a horizon of hopeless enslavement.)

Y: I should be going.

(Yami Yugi, former Pharaoh, stands and stretches out a hand.)

Y: I should apologize for Bakura and thank you for this. Bakura cannot see what hope you're giving us.

Q: Don't thank me; I'm not a savior. I'm an author just like them and I write like them. I don't want to change them, I just provide the picture.

Y: And for that picture, we are grateful.

(Yami walks down the lane, opposite of Bakura. I watch them both, glancing back and forth. I slide my finger along the wooden bench I'm seated on, a splinter prickles my skin… but I know it's not real. The trees with the birds… the entire city, all a subreality and I'm a god here…)

(As I watch the children play, cars drive by… I can't help think of the "real world", it and this verse are so are alike… what if…?)

(I shake my head quickly… damn The Matrix!)

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Disclaimer: Someone else owns Yu-Gi-Oh! …Or do they really? 

Yes, I'm a Matrix fan and, no, it did not inspire me to write this fic. Well this chapter was more thought provoking than the last. Speaking of the last chapter, I got some reviews from liberal people and thought "hey! Why not make one of the cast actually support some of this stuff… 

Ok, I'll admit I'm not a total Mary Sue/Shounen-ai/Yaoi/Yuri/Lemon hater. Hell, I even liked some… but there are others that just disgust me. I'll try to be more moderate with the stuff said here; after all I'm not an oxymoron.

 Well, go ahead and vote now, I'm done ranting. Just be specific, I've had some trouble telling the name Bakura apart from the thief and Ryou. BTW, you can vote for someone who has already been interviewed or vote for two or more people to be interviewed together (Just keep it under five… please? I can't work well over that number, my dialogue gets screwed.) 

Sayonara! 


	3. Jounouchi Katsuya

I carried the votes from the last chapter over, so there is more of a chance for your favorite characters to participate. I also eliminated the already interviewed characters. In addition, there will only be double interviews with ties. I've racked my brain all night for a workable system but, being me, logic isn't one of my best subject matters.

Sorry… 

Votes:

Jou- 8

Malik- 5

Ryou- 5

Yugi- 4

Anzu (Tea)- 3

Pegasus- 2

Yami Malik- 1

Bandit Keith- 1

Honda (Tristan)- 1

Mai- 1

Shizuka (Serenity)- 1

*Lamely stating the oblivious* Well Jounouchi's the new guest! It looks like I might have a tie between Ryou, Malik and Yugi… 

Please don't be offended if I don't answer your reviews, in this and possible other chapters. It's just; there are so many people (which is a good thing ^_^;) but it takes away from the fic if the a/n is longer than the actual chapter. But I thank you very much for the positive feedback! Wow, so many too, I serious never thought I'd get this many! Thank you all, you've totally made my day!

Sorry for the lateness of this chap. But I did post is exactly on the 20th so give me some credit. As for the voting, sorry I couldn't keep my word but I need this process to be as easy as I can get it. 

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Under The Wraps

Entry 03: Jounouchi Katsuya 

(Another day, another interview… Hello and welcome to "Under The Wraps"! Today we'll meet Jounouchi Katsuya ((commonly known as Joseph "Joey" Wheeler in the Americanized version)). )

(We find ourselves in Domino, walking down another crowded street, clumsily avoiding being stampeded by herds of miscellaneous characters with the sole purpose of filling in the city streets. Sad really. To be created with no name, personality, or even mind, yet simply exist to support a world for "puppets … forced into situations and influenced by the thoughts of" authors.  But we have strayed our topic – being Jounouchi Katsuya, of course.)

(A car along the street suddenly screeches to a haul. The distraught driver begins to shout profanities out of his window as a blonde teen rushed past the car, banging the hood.)

J (Jou): Watch it, ya jerk!

Q: I see you've decided to join me, Jounouchi.

(The blonde grins mischievously and begins to catch up, pushing his way through the crowd.)

J: You did that on purpose didn't you?

(He motions behind him, toward the car and its profane driver.)

Q: I'll admit it, bit I thought your entrance needed some dramatics. 

J: That ain't dramatic, 'specially if you hang here in 'dis… place.

Q: Hm, I suppose. Anyway, down to business.

J: Shoot.

Q: Okay, how do you feel about this place? Would you leave if you could?

J: Hell yeah! 'Course I'd have to take my sis, and maybe my ma'. I mean this place is cool and all but it's like slavery, ya know? We hav'ta do what them authors write, even if we don't wanna.

Q: What bothers you the most?

J: I dunno. I guess the idea of someone fuckin' my sister. She's all I got right now, and someone up there, an author, 's making her do stuff. 

Q: With who?

J: Kaiba, Pegasus… I'm just glad it ain't me. I mean c'mon peoples she only, what, thirteen?

Q: I'm sure you and Kaiba can relate a bit on that subject. Do you talk often when the authors are taking a break?

J: It ain't like a movie, where all 'da cast all sits and talks when the director's gone. We go our separate ways… I mean one of us has another fic to so or something, I like ta hang with Yug' before another fic starts up. But Kaiba, he leaves and goes to work in his company on somthin'. Kaiba's taking this pretty hard, but I can't blame him. He keeps talking about 'rising up' and 'leaving this place'. I think these fics are makin' him a little nutty.

(He makes a swirling motion around his ear, after the last statement.)

Q: So Kaiba is taking this hard, huh? Do your "relationships" bother you? 

J: Naw, I try not to let them. After all they ain't real. *It's like knowing you live in this world that's supposed to be free, but it ain't. There are bigger powers controlling everything that happens. You can't stop the powers and you can't change 'em; so all you can do is live with 'em and try to do your best, even if their there.

Q: So you don't mind the yaoi and/or shounen-ai fics?

J: I never said that. I try not to let 'em get to me, or else I'd be as crazy as Kaiba. But I could do without them. 

Q: Why do you think the authors set you up with Kaiba? I mean you don't like each other in the actual series.

J: People take things differently. When Kaiba's insulting me one person could see him hitting on me and the other sees him wanting to tear my throat out. It's just the way people take things, ya know, like when I was little I'd pull girls hair. I did it 'cause I liked 'em, but the girls thought the oposite.

Q: If there was one thing you could ask the authors to improve on in their writing, what would it be?

J: … I'm not so good at writing myself, but I think I'd want them to stop making these fics where a canon sees another character (canon or not) and then suddenly falls in love with them for no reason, even after they been in the exact same, town, school, or whatever, for years. It's annoying.

Q: So you don't like those instant love stories.

J: Yeah, I ain't one to be preaching about love, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't go: see each other, fuck, then get married and live happily for ever after. Real life ain't like that. Life ain't "happily ever after".

Q: You seem to be leading up to another questing I've been wanting to ask. There are so many fic where you're abuse by your father, what do you ting of them? And what is your actually relationship with him?

J: Well, a lotta people think just 'cause my ma' left with my sister my dad's an ass, but they could be wrong. I can't tell you what my dad's like cause it don't tell in the show and comics [1] and I don't really know. All we know about ourselves is what our original creator has put into the series, manga, whatever.

It's kinda confusing, cause I don't know him, and then I do… I got are the author's projections of him. Like there was this one fic, I really remember is 'cause Pegasus was my dad… 

(Jou laughs to himself.)

J: You should have seen Peggy's face. Can you say "priceless"?

Q: You seem to enjoy your place here, compared to the other I've interviewed. 

J: After the Duelist Kingdom arc, I kind of gained –what do you call it?- self confidence, I guess. I figured almost anything was possible, I mean I've beaten a bunch 'a international champions. What ticks me off is most of 'em were cheaters, I makes my feel kind of… cheated [2]. But, like I said almost anything's possible here, and even if Kaiba won't believe, we're going to exist here for a long time, I might as well get used to it.

Q: Its nice to see someone so optimistic, what role did you enjoy the most?

J: Besides the Pegasus one, I was turned into a ghost – more than once, actually- and had to haunt Kaiba or something, but when to author was doing some long angsty scene with techno-boy I snuck off and "visited" Mai…!

Q: Um… it's quite hard to respond to that, but glad to see you're happy here. I think it's about time for me to go. Thanks for your time, Jounouchi.

J: Right. Smell ya later tots!

(Joey jogs off toward the Turtle Game Shop, which is just visible above the heads of the passing people. It seems nice to know that someone in this nonexistent, yet existent city is happy.)

(As an author once said, "*No less than any living creature whose life is guided by some unseen hand. For are not our lives but a story, a small part written and entwined in the volumes of a Greater Tale, one that we follow and yet cannot hope to fully understand?" We all, fictional or not, have stories in the pages of a "Greater Tale". We can't stop it nor change it, but we must live with it, even if we don't accept it.)

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* Relating to corporate America.  

* A line from Key's fic "Trapped as a Mary Sue". A very good LotR fic, I must add, check it out! (It actually sort of inspired my to do this fic.)

[1] I'm not quite sure, but I don't really think Jou's dad is ever seen or mentioned in the US version, as for the Japanese one… he might have been in the first series (not Duelist Kingdom). Please correct me, I I've messed up somehow.

[2] Chris Lysse brought this up in the last review. Is Jou purposely targeted by cheaters or something? I mean "Bandit" Keith, Weevil, Roba, and Mai… I guess the perfume thing counts… But you get the point.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Here ends the third chapter, sorry for the lateness. I do have a life outside of fanfiction and I'm trying to balance the two. Well school is over, thankfully, and I have a lot of free time. ('Cause my social life is six feet under and dropping. -_-;)

I also go a scanner! Yes, I got a scanner for my grad present. I can post my work on line now… just one problem, where to post? I don't really want my own web site (even though I'm trying to run one) and deviantART.com doesn't take AOL users… *dramatic sigh* If anyone knows a place like deviantART, Eflwood (which I don't like flat out), or Side 7 (which is down for now) please tell me! 

Tell me and VOTE! Yes, please vote! All you have to do is click the friendly purple button and type. Please? For me? ^_^?


	4. Ryou Bakura

*Read This*

Now, before anything, I must apologize. I was wrong about Jounouchi not knowing about his father. In the manga his father was alcoholic and that leads to suspicions of abuse and whatnot. Anyway, I want to thank S.A. Bonasi for correcting me on that! 

Anyhow I was trying to get the point across that the characters know nothing about themselves and their surroundings, other than what the show/manga tells the audience; and fics make up alternate backgrounds that are not necessarily true. (I guess I choose the wrong character to get that point across, huh?)

It's kind of confusing when the 1st dub season is really the 2nd season in the anime and maunga, and you're trying to follow both instead of the dub, but you live in the US. Confusing, ne? (For both of us.)

Like I said, I'm sorry. I'll crack down and do more research…

Votes:

Ryou-9

Malik- 7 

Yugi- 6

Anzu (Tea)- 4

Yami Malik- 3

Pegasus- 2

Bandit Kieth-1

Honda (Tristan)- 1

Mai- 1

Shizuka (Serenity)- 1

Ok, Ryou's next. (As if you didn't know it. -_-)

Oh, by the way Sakuya the fic I mentioned was "I Love You, Mommy" by Angel Weasel-Woman. It's really a one-shot, but you can find it here:

h t t p : / / w w w . f a n  f i c t i o n . n  e t / r e a d . p h p ? s t o r y i d = 1 3 4 0 3 4 0

I could have sworn there was another, but I couldn't find it. L Maybe I'm wrong…? But I did find a fic where Peg. is the father of… dun, dun, dun… Ryou! Yes, Ryou Bakura: h t t p : / / w  w w . f a n f i c t  i o n . n e t / re a d .  p h p ? s t o r y i d = 1 3 8 5 2  1 8

Both fic are pretty fluffy… which isn't bad sometimes, but it can choke my muses. ^_^

Anyways, sorry about the lateness. You'd think I would speed up during the summer, ne? Thanks for all the reviews, though I doubt I deserve them… I'm so lazy it's sad.

---------------------------- 

Under The Wraps

Entry 04: Ryou Bakura 

("Under the Wraps" is back. Today we're visiting the "innocent" little bishounen Ryou Bakura. Having been portrayed as a naive, yet sometimes-clumsy, high school loner it ill be interesting to see what he has to say.)

(We find ourselves outside a modest apartment building [1]. But as of yet, most fics seem to set him in some pleasant up street suburbia. After a few flights of stairs and two knock on the door, the interview should begin.)

(Slowly the door cracks open, two eyes blink back at us warily. A familiar smirk grazed the lips of Yami Bakura as he opens the door.)

YB: Back again, ne?

Q: You could say that, but it's Ryou I'll need to speak with. Not you, I'm afraid. 

YB: Humph, then don't let me get in the way of your hopeless crusade. 

(The ring glows for a second, illuminating the room – in which rows of dolls are placed along the walls [2] – and, for the second time today, two eyes blink back at us.)

Q: Hello, Ryou. 

R: Oh, hi. Did I miss anything while _he_ was out?

Q: Not a thing, in fact your yami was more cooperative than I thought he would be.

R: All right, then. Where do we start?

(Ryou is seated in frount of us, behind him the shelf of dolls stares back with blank eyes. In his hand, Ryou absent-mindedly looks one over.)

Q: Well let's start with the basics, how do you feel about fanfiction.net?

R: It's not like I can do anything about it, none of us can. It's just something we have to accept like our fate. Complaining or any physical effort won't stop it. 

Q: So, you don't mind it?

R: I never said that. What I mean is it's the way things are, but you can live in an environment and not like it right? I mean I'm not truly myself sometimes, with my yami that is, authors make me into this abused person whose life is so mess up, yet I'm always so innocent. I hardly ever fight back against what ever I'm put up against – usually my yami. 

Q: So the portrayal of you in most fics isn't what you feel you really are?

R: I guess you could say that. I'm a confusing character, most of the time in the series it's hard for the authors to tell who I really am. That adds to the confusion I guess, because my yami and I, we're like yin and yang. But what the authors seem to forget it that even yang has a spot of yin in it and visa versa. No one can be totally innocent, though it's nice to believe there is something "pure" in this world.

Q: Being a confusing character makes you all more interesting in the eyes of some authors. (I can understand, after all what am I?) So, what about these fics, what are they like?

R: There are five kinds of fics I'm usually in. I'm usually abuse by my yami; sometimes it goes beyond that in the yaoi fics. This then leads to the suicide or death-by-miscellaneous-causes fics – I usually die somehow but in come cases my yami is the one to die (whether is be suicide or some valiant attempt to say me which kills him in the process.)

There are the bonding fics too, that would be when my yami suddenly begins to realize exactly what he's been doing to me, opens up, and we become friends and sometime more than just that.  

But then there are authors who use reverse psychology, if you want to call it that. That's when I'm evil and only using Yami Bakura as a cover for myself, or I'm controlling my yami and manipulating him into being evil, stealing the Millennium Items, ect. And then, on top of that, there are fics where my yami and I are _both_ evil and _both_ want to steal the Items. 

And I can't forget Mary Sues. Usually I meat some new student and she becomes my friend, which is new for me because I've never had friends before, even if I hang with Yugi and the others in the series. Then my yami wants her for some reason or other… 

But then that leads to fics where I'm left out of Yugi's gang and I'm lonely and stuff… that's usually when I become friends (or more) with another character who doesn't associate with Yugi… or a Mary Sue, again… 

You know, come to think of it, there are a lot more than five kinds. Sorry if I got carried away there…

Q: Perfectly all right Ryou, after all, you're supposed to do the talking. I just ask the questions and put them out there for others to see and respond to.

R: Ok then… but there's one thing I don't understand, why do we [my yami and myself] have separate bodies in some fics while other's follow the series and stick us in one? I know you're supposed to be asking but…

Q: I'm not sure myself, but I think it has something to do with the yami's in their spirit form. Someone must have though "Oh, hey, if they [the yami's] are able to do _that_ why not give them bodies too?" Or something along those lines, I'm probably wrong though. 

  Back to the questions, since this is about 900+ words we need to step it up. Okay, you've expressed your views on the fic styles and a little on fanfiction itself, why don't you tell us – the authors – about yourself. Like someone said the key to something-or-other is understanding. The words escape me but I think you get it.

R: Yeah, but I'm not sure where to start… I guess I'm brave, I mean I've been told I am. In the series I defended my friends from my yami… even if it meant my death. I don't really want to get to know other people because of what's happened before. I changed schools more times than I can remember because friends or enemies of mine disappeared or went insane. I didn't know it at that point but my yami was the one behind it.

  Speaking of my yami, he does care about me – whether the authors believe of not. In Battle City he took the blast from Saint Dragon God of Osiris (or Slyfer the Sky Dragon) for me, but to the others it seemed like he only needed me to survive. In the anime he turned a gym teacher, who was picking on me, into a doll and he states that in different schools he got me friends by turning them all into dolls, because friends where what I wanted most – he just incorporated it into a twisted present. But that's probably just wishful thinking on my part…

Q: Alright, we've gotten to your yami. He wasn't very cooperative with the whole interview thing, can you tell us a few things about him and how he reacts to fanfiction?

R: Obviously there are stories about him and me as… lovers. Sometimes it's consensual, but then there are the rape fics and other… stuff. I mean with his character traits it's something he is capable and _might_ be tempted to do, so it makes sense in perverted way. But he regrets it after… well you know… 

(Red streaks have begun to creep over Ryou's normally pale checks, by now.)

Q: Point taken. I think we'll end it here, not to go any further into uncomfortable subjects; after all, even fictional characters deserve to keep a few skeletons in their closets.

R: Thanks. I don't meant to be rude but you should be going now, some of the Mary Suers know who you are and don't like what your doing. 

Q: Really know, I thought it would be the shounen-ai fangirls.

(As the door closes behind us, the cityscape comes into view, a perfect orange sun setting somewhere beyond the Domino docks. From this view the city looks as it should be, alive and realistic but when this chapter ends another fic begins and all this will change…)

---------------------------- 

[1] In the anime/manga-verse Ryou DOES live in an apartment.

[2] In the first series "A Shadow Game" (which has not been released in the US) Ryou has many, many dolls, in which the souls of his former friends have been sealed… but you already knew that, didn't you?

---------------------------- 

A/N: Ack, Ryou is sooo OOC! (To me atleast.) I'm sorry if he is, lets just say I'm pretty rusty… 

Review? Please.  

If anyone feels like reading some more stuff on Bakura (or Ryou, rather) there's a really good essay about him here:

h t t p : / / w w w . l e l o l a . n e t / y u – g i – o h / b a k u r a . s h t m l

(Sorry about the spacing, you know how FF.net is…)


	5. Malik Ishtar & Yugi Motou

Votes:

Malik- 8 

Yugi- 8

Anzu (Tea)- 4

Yami Malik- 3

Pegasus- 3

Bandit Kieth-1

Honda (Tristan)- 1

Mai- 1

Shizuka (Serenity)- 1

Malik and little Yugi is the second tie! Yay!

I'll ask you to - before you read this interview through - forgive me if Malik is OOC. ^_^; I haven't had much experience writing his persona.

---------------------------- 

Under The Wraps

Entry 05: Malik Ishtar & Yugi Motou

(It's been a while hasn't it? "Under the Wraps" has returned, an with it the city is unfrozen from it's state of suspense, as I, the authoress and my trusty keyboard, begin the next chapter of the interviews.)

(Our location is a small, yet crowed fast food restaurant. We three sit in a both as nameless fillers pass us, discussing numerous miscellaneous subjects. Malik Ishtar and Yugi Motou are on one side of the both, facing us. They are here because I want them to be. There's no need for explanations or logic, because in this world I, and every other author, is a god. So, simply, they are here… because the pen be mightier than the sword.)

Malik (M): Remind me again, why I'm here?

(He pokes a plastic looking burger that a waiter pushed in frount of him minutes ago, questioning its edibility.)

Yugi (Y): Interview, right? Yami told me about it.

Q: Nice to see he's spreading the word, unfortunately this fic is coming to an inevitable end. But… that's beyond the point.

(Malik has looked up from the said burger.)

M: Point being?

Q: Point being this is an interview and it's time to ask the questions, Ishtar. What do you think of fanfiction?

M: Me? We'll what the heck, do you think I'd think of it? I mean half the time the authors aren't even aware I have an evil side, so I'm stuck being the evil raping bastard.

(The Egyptian grumbles and crosses his arms, turning away from the untouched food.)

M: Seriously, how many times do you think I've had to rape someone as "Marik"?

Y: You can't really blame them, can you? I mean the dub makes you sound like some… some…

M: Whining 35-year-old megalomaniac. I wanted revenge damn it, not the damn pharaoh's power… although my yami might find that useful also.

Y: I guess the concept of killing Yami and me would be too much for the little kids, huh?

M: Death's a part of life; people should know that at any age. But, more importantly, this series was made for a more "mature" generation.

Q: Hate to interrupt this lovely little dub bashing convo you started but we need to stay on the subject. How about you, Yugi?

Y: I don't know… I just wish I could save someone in a fic, I mean Yami and Joey are always there for me, watching my back. I know they're just trying to help but I need to prove to myself that I can save me, too. 

Q: There must be some fics that you're the star of?

Y: Yeah, there are and I'm glad, too. But sometimes I'm coming from a really graphic yaoi or non-yaoi fic and then I'm pushed into some light fluffy fic, most people would classify as "trash fiction" and forced to go through a bunch of stuff where I'm totally innocent and illiterate about certain subjects. I've been through a lot here, I'm not all naïve and innocent, but I'd like to be sometimes.

Q: Why do you say that?

Y: Well, it's nice to feel "pure" sometimes. To put it bluntly, I guess you could say some fanfiction is a "comfort drug" from the others.

M: Little Yugi on drugs, who would have thought?

Y: It's not like I haven't tries them before.

M: Someone your age should be doing such things, young man! 

(Malik grins wickedly and adds mockingly.)

Y: It's not like I'm going to die anytime soon. 

(Yugi crosses his arms and looks defiantly at Malik.)

M: Good point, Yugi. (Grins even more.) First times are strange aren't they?

Y: I'd rather not talk about it; anyway, when I said "comfort drug" I didn't mean drugs literally.

Q: Erm, have to interrupt again, but if we can finish this up it would really help me out. 

M: Fine. Shoot.

Q: Right, okay, what do you find most appalling about the way your character is exemplified, Malik? I know you have a lot to get off your shoulders.

M: Where would you like me to start? Perhaps I'll bring the alphabetized list I wrote at the start of Battle City? That's when it was worst.

Q: Whatever you feel like.

(Malik eyes the burger yet again as if it's about to stand up and attack him.)

M: I don't like being some "evil" bastard who wants the pharaoh's powers. I don't like being the rapist whom ends up falling in love with is victim, i.e. a Mary Sue. I don't like the authors whom used self-insertion to "beat me up" in dueling or otherwise just because I've got some "evil plan" and want the pharaoh power. Wait that's twice isn't it? Damn it, the dub screw me over!

Y: Can't ague with that. I set Yami and Anzu up on a date, to make him feel better and all through the dub they talked about "evil powers" and stuff, but they were really supposed to talking about how I wanted to express myself. I think it would have helped fanfiction if they left that scene in…

Q: The dub again? 

M: Well, it's more of a problem for me than fanfiction. The authors watch it and then write fic based off it. 

Y: Remember when there were hardly any fic in this section? 

M: Yeah, I don't think I existed back then though… Well, whatever. It must have been better than this.

Y: It was… primitive.

Q: How so, Yugi?

Y: Well there were a lot of humor fic - Seto bashing mainly – and only a few really hardcore authors. There was a lot more time and new ideas. It just seems like everything's been overdone these days.

M: Yeah, I know the feeling. Like déjà vu. I get that a lot, these days.

(Both boys sit back in their seats, reminiscing a past that can never be rewritten or excavated. Perhaps it's time to float away, drift like mist from the seat below me back to the "real world". They won't care, they wont know, because I make them. And I, with the pen – or in this age's case- the keyboard bid them too…)

---------------------------- 

O.o 

My apologies, this took a very odd turn. I don't know Malik or Yugi that well so it turned into the said interview (if you can call it an interview.) I'm really not sure what I just wrote, in fact why don you tell me? I'm too tire to criticize my work now… 

Zzz… Review?


	6. Yami Malik

Just to let you know, I was not in my right mind when this was written, not that is matters. Yami Malik isn't to sane himself. 

Votes:

Yami Malik- 9 

Anzu (Tea)- 8

Pegasus- 3

Mai- 3

Bandit Kieth-1

Honda (Tristan)- 1

Mokuba- 1

Shizuka (Serenity)- 2

First of all, THANK YOU! I didn't think this fic would get that far, in fact I never imagined it getting past 50 reviews. You made my day… ^-^

Now this review was extremely hard… considering Yami Malik hasn't come to the US yet, but thankfully there are always the anime and manga.

And don't worry Dragonet, I'm 99.9% sure Anzu/Tea will be next… unless there's some Pegasus fanclub who decides to put in their votes at the last minute…or something…

And, again, to KingOfHearts NCKRAM: thank you! (And sorry I took so long to put that last chap up.) Hope you enjoy this one and don't worry about the pressure and about the fangirl thing, I'll admit in my times of caffine+sugar highs I do occasionally glomp my bishies/muses… 'Course they make me pay with writers blocks, but its all good!

---------------------------- 

Under The Wraps

Entry 06: Yami Malik

("Under the Wraps" is back again, after what hopefully hasn't been too much of a long time. This time the Domino docks loom into view. Eerie mist cling to the large structures near the water's edge, giving the scene a much-needed theme for our next guest.)

(Malik Ishtar may have been somewhat of an… unstable person, but his person doesn't rival that of his alter ego's. An alternate personality that we'll call Yami Malik – whose existence is unknown to some of fanfiction's writers and readers.)

(Footsteps echo from the damp docksides as we near the yacht that Malik called home during Battle City. Why the yacht still remains does not matter. It simply is there.)

Q: Er… Malik?

(A door on the ship opened and a very different Malik steps out, hair now golden spikes rivaling the pharaoh's. Happy, sleepy eyes survey the scene outside. This Malik, his Yami – they are one in the same, but not really.)

Yami Malik (YM): You're here… (An unreadable smile spreads across his lips as his seemingly drug induced eyes shimmer.) Come in.

(Inside the yacht it's different for the outside weather. The room is lit brightly as we sit across from each other in the dinning room.)

Q: Well… Yami Malik. Let's get started, shall we?

YM: Yes, start… Malik-sama has much to tell. 

(A/N: Intermission! Okay, just to get this straight. Yami Malik refers to HIMSELF as "Malik", which is really confusing, but you'll get it. And yes, I'm pretty sure this is a canon trait.)

Q: Right then, how do _you_ feel about fanfiction? Feel left out 'cause only about half the authors know you exist? Or is that a good thing?

YM: Malik-sama is confused… Who am I? Malik-sama is so many different people, faces, things… 

Q: Um, come again?

YM: I am second best… What Hikari-san hates, I love, what he loathes, I adore. And when he's PURE evil… what happens to me when he's made pure evil by writers? I cannot be good… it's an unwritten law. But if he's EVIL than I am… nothing.

Q: All right. So you're saying that authors, who don't know/care about your existence, make your Hikari – Malik – all evil and your stuck with as nothingness? None existent in the fic or rather in the world?

YM: They call Hikari-san "Marik" and they make Hikari-san evil… so evil there is no evil left for me.

Q: This would probably be due to the dub (sub?). But what about other fics?

YM: Other fics? Malik-sama is… not himself in other fics. I do what they want me to do; I'm doing it now. It's like strings… little strings that you can't see, that make you move and make your voice project… little strings that make you do what they want, or what they want to do themselves…

Q: Like a puppet? 

YM: Like a puppet… but they don't understand. They have strings to… they call these strings, laws, emotions, but these strings are loose… so loose they can decide what they want to do, who they want to make love to… who they kill…

Q: I'm not really sure how to follow up on that one, so lets move on, hm? You were pretty unknown for a while, how was it to have free time?

YM: Like hell. When they don't include you there's nothing. A void, abyss… 'Cause they don't know your there, but you are there – in nothingness. 

Fics have rules, laws, strings… They are followed. When a fic starts the whole cast is there… characters are chosen, other are sent away, to nothing… When a fic stops, so does the world. When there is not will, no thought, there is nothing but the previous images. 

Q: Okay, your saying that when characters aren't included they're discarded… or they just don't exist because the plot doesn't fit them in so the chosen world doesn't?

YM: I'm tired are being nothing… suck in nothing… I'm Malik-sama and I am human and I _do_ feel and I'm tired of this… I'm tired of these people who take my life and twist it… I'm tired of being ignored and forgotten… because as much as people ignore me as nothing I am something because nothing is impossible, so I HAVE to be something.

Q: All right back up, you said people twist you life?

YM: I AM Malik-sama and I am his Yami… but I am not a spirit, because I am my Hikari-san. I was born with my Hikari-san's hate and anger and murders intentions.

Q: Your not an Egyptian spirit, some of the authors do know that, contrary to most belief.

YM: I picked up to Millennium Rod before Hikari-san. I killed father, not Pharaoh. I was banished to the Shadow Realm… but we know I can never leave my Hikari… I am the dark in the light… I am forever with Hikari-san and he knows it.

Q: We're off track here. What about fanfiction?

YM: Fanfiction is life, fanfiction is me… No matter what we talk about here, it is fanfiction. 

Q: So you except it?

YM: I know it. I live it. I breath, see, feel it and I hate it. I hate the strings, I hate the people I share it with, I hate everything about is… but it is everything, so I love it, too.

Q: Right. You know you can be very confusing? So, lets get this thing about your Hikari straight. You are his dark, thus inhabiting his opposites, but when he is given all your "essence" you become…?

YM: Nothing. 

Q: …Okay, you just said nothing was impossible? Finishing but here, any last thoughts?

YM: I want to see the world bathed in blood and darkness… but I want to know, most of all, when the story ends, it stays finished.

… And stay finished… forever…

(The scene goes blank, but I will not stay that way long.)

---------------------------- 

A/N: Sorry this was kind of short. And I hope Yami Malik was not OOC, He's pretty hard to classify. I mean he was created when Malik was around ten (?) and then suppressed by Rishid for about five years. So he technically has the mind of a ten year old, who was born in a world of pain, anger and violence, and then sent into darkness for five years… yeah, I'm pretty sure I have this right. (Please tell me if I'm wrong… again.) 

Just a few little spoiler about Yami no Malik: He took over Malik's body, _before_ the Mill. Ron was touched! Thus proving the theory that he had an Egyptian past FALSE! (Not that is wasn't a bad one.)

This chap was slightly inspired by Neko-chan's fic "Ore Sama", or more precisely the chapter in it title "Nightmare". Anyway, it's a good (dark and gory) Yami no Malik fic, check it out here: 


	7. Anzu Mazaki

Instead of tallying the votes, I have a plan. You see this fic has been going on for two months and with my fragile concentration it's almost a miracle it lasted this long. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Thankfully this **isn't** that last chapter. Here's the plan:

Chapter 08 = all the characters you voted for and I haven't interviewed yet.

Chapter 09 = all the character I've interviewed come together in sort of a reunion. (One of my reviewers had this idea but I seem to have somehow lost or just couldn't find the review. If I was _you_ tell me and I'll give you credit!)

Anyway, so here is the long awaited Anzu/Tea interview. (Please forgive the lateness.)

---------------------------- 

Under The Wraps

Entry 07: Anzu Mazaki 

(Must I go through this routine again? Well, if you insist, "Under the Wraps" is again spreading its wings and flying through the domain of fandom. We've seen villains in sorrow, heroes in despair, and ((thankfully)) sidekicks with smiles… but now, the last and most awaited interview is before us. The most bashed and most, as it would seem, hated Anzu Mazaki is our subject today.)

(We are in an arcade this time. Dim, flashing colors, and vibrant sounds illuminate the rooms. Children and adults fill the building laughing and shouting – again, only here for filler.)

(Turning a corner, it stands before us. The stage set, pulsating lights of all colors, with one word flashing above the crowd: DANCE! But Anzu isn't on the stage, but she's here. We stand in back of the crowd, watching the dancers before one of us decides to speak.)

Anzu (A): So you're the author doing the interview, right?

Q: Correct. It's nice to finally meet one of fanfiction's most hated characters, no offense of course. 

A: Don't worry about it; I've heard it all. So…? Are we going to start?

Q: Sure, I'll start with the basic question: what do you think of fanfiction?

A: That's a pretty hard question. I mean can I really hate it? I've been killed thousands of times in horrible twisted ways, but if I hated it, it would be like hated my own life… or existence. 

Q: I'm thinking your stuck in the middle, a hate/love situation?

A: You could say that. But I've always been an optimist; I just find it better to believe something good will happen in the end. No matter what, I'll be able to get through it, you know?

Q: I prefer to keep my person opinions out of interviews but I can understand your view. I just can get over how you survived all those bashing fics and still smile the next day. How _do_ you do that?

A: Like I said before: optimism. Just remember, this is just a fic, sooner or later (preferably sooner, though) the fic will end.  

Q: Not to slam the dub, but you and Tea seem to have different sides. Tea and you have the same interests: dancing, friendship's importance… anything you _don't_ share?

A: Dancing skills? I've seen the dub me, and I have to say I think I was better. Not to brag or anything, Tea's not bad, she means well. But, I have enough guts to tell Kaiba what a jerk he is to his face, no rant away about friendship. As important as it is, Kaiba disserved a good talking to. 

Q: Can't argue there, but let's try to get past this dub issue. The portrayal of "Tea" ruined your image, we know that – 

A: You see there you authors go again. You blame Tea for ruining me, without realizing I am Tea. As much I hate to admit it I'm the same person… of just supposed to be. Thus there's no point in bashing her to help me because you just end up doing what you tried to stop, get it?

Q: Right, point taken. So if you're Tea and she's you… wait how can that be? You're two different to be the same even the animation is different. Tea has blue eyes while you have brown. This doesn't make sense.

A: Don't you get it? Tea is like my alter ego, just the American alter ego of me. We are pretty much the same, our character was just screwed up 'cause of the dub. My name is just the original and first, that's pretty much all.

Q: Ok, back to the bashing subject – since that seems to be what the reviewers want to hear to most. As painful as this probably is, what is it like?

A: What is getting beat up like? What is dieing like? I don't even understand myself why I'm hated so much (aside from the Tea-rants-to-much or the Anzu/Tea-not-supporting-yaoi-couples excuses.) I mean I know I'm pushy, but I try my best to be nice. I've never hurt anyone for no apparent reason.

And I'm not defenseless. I can stick up for others and myself when I have to. The image of me as Tea – who probably could defend herself, but is totally nonviolent - just kills the whole concept.

Q: You'd think Yami no Bakura or Malik would be bashed the way those two act. But it just sees to me that the people today idolize the vigilante/tough guy/bad boy image. You have an opinion on that?

A: Well as every body probably knows I like Yami no Yugi… whom I guess could be a "bad boy". 

Q: That doesn't answer the question. Why do you like Yami no Yugi –bad boy- over Yugi –good boy?

A: Um, sex appeal? No seriously, it just might be me but the dark mysterious guys are way cooler than, well, the others… not to bash Yugi! He's my best friend and I've known him almost forever!

Q: I realize as much as you're bashed you have pro-fics. I even saw a defense association for you [1]; some people understand your pain. How about those types of fics? And the pairings – *yuri or not?

A: You mean like Mai and me? Eew. I don't want to think about that. I mean I'm with almost everyone, not that I want to… 

Seto because we're opposites and we "attract". Ryou and Yami Bakura because… well I really don't understand that… 

Then there's Jou, Yugi, or Honda, but they're my friends, so I guess that kind of leads people on to think we'll get together in the end. 

Who else? There's Malik… which is _really_ weird but not as weird as me and Miho. Thank Kami-sama it's never been done. 

Q: I noticed you failed to mention the Yami no Yugi pairings. Care to fill me in?

A: Couldn't resist, huh? Well… there are a lot of them. I guess it's okay… atleast with me it is. I'm not too sure about him, he's so passive it's hard to tell what going on in that spiky head of his. 

Q: Yami has a lot of male pairings, are you be angry or jealous at/of him?

A: I want to say, no, I mean why would I be? Yugi and he are some of my closest friends if they decided that was right for them I'm totally okay with it… although I don't know if I'd actually turn gay with them. 

Come to think of it, most yaoi fics have four outcomes: one, I'm totally okay with it and support them like I said I would. Two, I'm gay/bi also and are with Mai or Shizuka. Three, I'm totally against it and try to thwart their relationships… which usually means I'm the villain. And four, I don't exist – which really stinks, 'cause voids are not fun to hang around in. 

Q: Alright Anzu, we've run through my whole list of question and even gone a little more in-depth. Thanks for your time, nything you'd like the readers to know?

A: Just keep in mind I've caused a man to loose three teeth by whacking him over the head with a globe [2]. That should keep the bashers back for a while. 

(With a smile and friendly wink Anzu turns away pushing through the crowd toward the stage. Blinding lights, deafening shouts all of it seems to melt away. And Anzu Mazaki danced for all she was worth.)

---------------------------- 

[1] The ADA (Anzu Defense Authors) by S. A. Bonasi, information found in S. A.'s bio. Check it out!

[2] I believe an associate of Yugi's grandfather's tried to steal the Puzzle by Anzu stopped him by, well, like she said, bashing him over the head with a globe. You go girl!

* Yuri = the female equivalent of yaoi - shoujo-ai/Female + Female

A/N: Well I hope I kept Anzu in character. This was pretty hard coz I really don't read much Anzu centered fics. Thank you again for the wonderful reviews, you guys and gal are the best!

See that little, purple button? Yeah, push it and type something - anything, please?


	8. The Remaining

Wow. 120+ reviews, I love you guys. I'm also really sorry for the lateness on this chap. I've been trying to type it in-between my Taekwondo lessons but as you can probably see, I haven't gotten to far. I really have no excuse, so I guess I'm just lazy…

Well, enough of that. I feel so honored to have had you as my wonderful reviewers and I'll make sure to answer your question at the end of this fic. (Because I've been avoiding a few. Heh. Bad me.)

And, as I promised, thanks to LiLianJieGurl for the reunion idea! (Sorry I forgot you last chapter.)

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Under The Warps

Entry 08: The Remaining

[Pegasus, Mai, Bandit Keith, Honda (Tristan), Mokuba, and Shizuka (Serenity)]

(Welcome to the final hours of "Under The Warps". Where we are doesn't matter, what matters is that we are here – all of us. Our six guests sit in frount of us, in a crescent moon-like circle. We face the Remaining.)

Q: Welcome everyone. I'm glad you made it. Let's start off with you Mai, since you have the most reviews (one over Pegasus). What do _you_ think of fanfiction?

Mai: Hon, fanfiction is like a guy. There are the good things and the bad; you can't separate them so it's either all or nothing.

Q: Anything in particular you don't or do like about fanfiction?

Mai: Now if I told you that, the bashers out there reading this would have something to work with. Wouldn't they?

Pegasus: Quit perceptive Ms. Kujaku, but I believe you've just let the cat out of the bag when you said: bashers.

Q: Any you? What do you not like?

Pegasus: Let's just say the yaoi authors have an interesting time with me. If you're a widowed man, wearing a wine red suit, and keep young boys locked in you person dungeons – an automatic bull's-eye seems to materialize on your back. 

Keith: You seem ta' have forgotten the whole 'reads and watches manga' deal, Peg'sy. 

Q: Alright Keith we understand your point, but let's not forget that in the _real world_ five year olds are playing with Duel Monsters. Pegasus had another point, does anyone feel the way they dress or act effect the way author see them?

Mokuba: I'm just Seto's little brother… it's like I'm his shadow. Authors don't get that I can be just as smart as he can. 

Mai: Don't get down on yourself, Mokuba. At least you aren't portrayed as a bimbo. It's only a hair color for God's sake…

Honda: Atleast it's not compared to fungus.

Keith: Fungus! Hahaha! Now that's funny…

Q: Um… Can we get back on track here? Shizuka, you've been quite, how bout you enlighten us?

Shizuka: Me? Well… fanfiction's… interesting.

Keith: That's a nice way to put it. I was thinking more like "unbearable".

Mai: Shush, and let her speak Keith.

Shizuka: Thanks Mai. Anyway I can't really say I don't like it, but I can't say I like it. I mean it is our life… we can escape it so we have to acknowledge it and, in some ways, except it. 

Pegasus: Wise words, young lady. But we can't forget that we're just slaves to the imaginations of thousands. We can never die, and thus – my unfortunate friends – we are not living.

Honda: Congratulations Pegasus, you've lost me.

Keith: Not that it's hard to do.

Honda: Haha Keith, very funny. But what I don't get it we can think and move and talk, why aren't we alive?

Pegasus: We don't have to live to exist. In fact we don't even have to _be_ to exist.

Mai: That's… um, intriguing but care to explain it further.

Shizuka: Because we think, there for we exist. Rene' Descartes right?

Mai: In Japanese (or English), hon?

Pegasus: Precisely, Ms. *Jounouchi. "The action of thinking, being, perceiving. I perceive I am thinking, and therefore the world exists in my image, and only mine." 

Mokuba: I'm getting your drift. Seto was reading a lot of book on this stuff… he said the only way we aren't some mindless puppets for someone higher is because we can think. 

Mai: Got'cha. Although that's pretty deep, coming from a twelve year old and stuff. What I don't get is why we have to do what _they_ write. 

Q: Hello…?

Honda: 'Cause we're figments of imagination.

Keith: How deep. It's surprising you could even come up with something like that? Your momma help you.

Honda: What the hell is your problem Keith?

Keith: My problem? Fuck my problem, it's not like anyone cares. I'm in the bloody nothingness all day.

Honda: Well maybe if you weren't such a bastard all the time. 

Shizuka: Please stop, Mokuba shouldn't have to hear this and I don't like it much either. Give him a break Honda, it's not like people are always write about him… be glad your included in a lot of fics. I know what it was like before people knew about me…

Q: Um…guys?

Keith: I don't need you're pity girlie. After all, I'm just a fucking *throwaway character. 

Mai: I hate to burst your bubble of pity, Keith, but technically you're not. 

Q: PEOPLE! 

Pegasus: Yes?

Q: I'm so glad you're interacting with each other, but we nee to get down to business. Alright, we're behind schedule. 

Shizuka: Sorry about that…

Q: Nothing to be sorry about. But let's move on shall we? What do you all think about the couples you've been paired in here?

Mokuba: I really don't want to think about this…

Pegasus: I will agree with young Mr. Kaiba here. I'd rather keep them under wraps.

Mai: I don't really care, hon. The way things are going I'm with pretty much who I want to be with… or what the canon hints at. Whether that really is what I want or not, is up to you to find out.

Keith: I'm not even gonna comment on this…

Shizuka: I'm with Kaiba – a lot. But I'll admit it's kind of a Romeo/Juliet couple…

Mai: Forbidden love… ah, those are the most fun.

Q: Alright them, but - 

Honda: Hmph. I don't see what's Kaiba's got that I don't.

Mai: It's called green and he's got mountains of it.

Shizuka: Money doesn't buy happiness, Mai.

Mai: In know, but it buys you nice things.

Pegasus: Ms. Jounouchi has another fine point, Mai. Fine things don't bring happiness. 

Keith: Don't tell me, you love struck old fool, love does.

Honda: I don't see what Jou sees in you Mai.

Mai: What is this? Gang up on the blonde time?

Keith: Might as well be, the more time I spend here and out of there the better.

Q: Hello peoples… what about the interview?

Mokuba: You better leave them; it's getting dangerous in there.

(The wisdom of a twelve year old. Perhaps this interviewing has reached its prime, after all asking only certain questions means you'll receive only certain answers. You can here more than what you've asked for when you let their voices be herd – sometimes more than you care to, but that is an insignificant sacrifice.)

---------------------------- 

* Jounouchi is both Katsuya's and Shizuka's last name- "Jou" is just Katsuya's nickname.

* Not sure where the quote is from, But I'm guessing it's by Rene' Descartes 'cause it sound like some of his work.

*Throwaway Character, a term use for character whose name is mentioned once or twice and plays an insignificant role in the plot. (Keith is _not_ one or theses.)

A/N: Personally, I hate this chapter. No, better yet, I loathe this chapter! But since I'm so late as it is, I've posted it anyway. Please forgive me; I'm just another lazy ass kid trying to make it out there on fanfiction.


	9. The Reunion

I'm truly sorry to have put the previous characters through such a horrible chapter. It seems I'm loosing my edge. I only hope this one is better.

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Under The Warps

Entry 09: The Reunion

("Under the Warps" is back in its final hour. Subreality is quiet now, like Sunday during church hours. But soon the stillness will die as mindless fillers and throwaway characters crowd the sidewalks and the streets. Total peace… the reality only submissive to a god. Being me.)

(The outskirts of the Kaiba mansion are calm as we near. Both iron gates are opened, stretching outward like arms for a giant hug. The cold barren frontal landscaping, consisting of a few bushes and what not, lets off a clean-cut impression.)

(When we have reached the door, which is half open, the shouts and laughter can be heard from inside. Kaiba can be clearly heard within the house calling after Jou; who we see as we enter one of the many large living rooms.)

Q: All right people calm down and take your seats. Sorry about using your house Kaiba, but it seemed fitting.

Kaiba: Keyword: seemed. I'm hoping you'll fix the havoc Yami Malik has caused, these carpets don't clean themselves.

Q: Right, but we have an interview top get to. First question: With the increasing amount of Yu-Gi-Oh! fics, what do you find most annoying?

Y. Bakura: Sappy tales of love and loss, I swear to Ra I've seen almost the same plot within all of them. 

Y. Yugi: I agree with him, which is a rare occasion indeed, but the similarity between most OC stories has become… quite annoying.

Y. Malik: Pharaoh brings up a good point. Malik-sama agrees, too.

Malik: Well look at that! Our yamis agree on something.

Yugi: I never thought I'd see the day.

Jou: You're tell me, Yug'. But Mary Sues aren't the worst thing around here.

Kaiba: You have no idea.

Jou: Oh yeah, who says? Anyways I wasn't thinking like that Kaiba, I was thinking about the "trash fiction", stuff that has not plot or the fics that set us up against each other – and make us fight to the "death".

Keith: Hey, I happen to be a fan of those.

Honda: Only, 'cause no one writes about you. 

Mai: Lets not start this up again, boys.

Q: I quite agree. Now that you all are hear let talk about couples? I mean _all_ the couples.

Ryou: You just had to bring that up didn't you? (Sighs.)

Malik: No worries, Ryou here's just a bit bitter. The authors – especially the girls- have put him with everyone here. Get around don't'cha Ryou?

Y. Bakura: Shut your face Ishtar before I do it for you. We _all_ are bitter about this.

Jou: 'Cept me! 

Kaiba: That would be because your brain is too small to recognize the extent of our situation.

Jou: That's not what you said last night, koi. (Winks mockingly.)

Kaiba: Please don't do that, Mokuba's traumatized enough as it is. 

Mokuba: Actually I think its funny. 

Q: Funny?

Mokuba: Sure, it's not like it's real or anything… is it?

Jou: You'll just have to wait and see, squirt. Who knows, ol' Jou here might become your brother in law.

Shizuka: Very funny big bro, but I can't see you doing that. Everyone knows you like - 

Jou: Not here, not now, sis! (Blushes.)

Mai: Like who, Jounouchi?

Anzu: Yeah Jou, who?

Jou: Argh! Damn this is so canon! (Still blushing.)

Kaiba: Well look like the puppy has a crush, how sickeningly sweet.

Yugi: He's not the only one Kaiba. If I remember the Egyptian Arc in the manga, you weren't the only one with a "significant other". [1]

Kaiba: That was long ago, Yugi, and she's dead now. 

Mai: Kaiba and his lost love, how romantic. This hole thing is starting to sound like one of my soap operas.

Q: All right then, Pegasus you haven't said much – or for that matter anything at all. Care to enlighten us?

Pegasus: I'm sorry, this was all just to entertaining. 

Q: Since we're on the couples subject, care to let us what the most unusual couple you've been placed in was?

Pegasus: Before I tell, someone might want to hold back Jounouchi, because it was his sister I was fortunate enough to be with. That and maybe the Insector Haga (weevil Underwood) fic…

Jou: What? Shizuka!? I'll get you, you…!

Shizuka: Don't worry Jou, nothing happened between us.

Jou: Nothing! Did that filthy son of a bitch lay his filthy, grimy, dirty hands on you!?

Shizuka: No, he didn't Jou. Please calm down, you making me embraced.

Mai: You heard the little lady Jou, chill it. It not like _you_ haven't been with him.

Jou: Yeah, whatever. At least I wasn't locked in his dungeon.

Kaiba: I resent that, mutt.

Pegasus: As do I. It would have been ten times worse if I had locked them in a _bedroom_.

Q: Okay, lets stop there. We haven't herd from you Anzu; care to share anything we haven't brought up?

Anzu: I've been in more bashing stories than anyone here but I still can't say I dislike fanfiction; it's the only place we've ever known. It's like a home.

Keith: I was thinking "hellhole".

Anzu: Well, whatever it is, we can't ignore it but we can't really accept the ideas.

Jou: Anzu's right, we just gotta live 'cause there's no way outa here.

Kaiba: There has to be. And when I find it, it's adios Subreality. 

Yugi: Kaiba, you of all people should know there's no way out of here. 

Kaiba: Simple deduction; there's always a back door.

Y. Malik: A back door to what Kaiba-san? A back door to nothing, I have been there… and Malik-sama does not like it.

Y. Bakura: It seems our psychotic friend here thinks the Subreality is divide into two "rooms". The plot line and the trash can…

Q: If I may interject, we need to bring in a few more characters into this fray. I wasn't planning on inviting them, but then what the heck. Honda could you please get the door.

(Silently the remaining guests watch as Honda near the doorway. The brunette teen reaches slowly, opening the door a crack. Unfortunately the suspense is broken as a hand pushed the door open and countless Yu-Gi-Oh! characters spill in. Kaiba groans loudly.)

Jou: Ryuzaki? Haga? What the hell?

Ryuzaki (Rex Raptor): Quite gawking Jounouchi, we were invited.

Kaiba: You brought these _moronic lunatics_ into _my_ mansion.

Q: No worries, Kaiba. I'm an author, but that's not the point. Our newly arrived guests have some things to talk about. So tell us guys and gals, what do you think of fanfiction?

Miho: It's not like we can say much, we hardly ever appear in fics. 

(Miho crossed her arms and send a smile toward Ryou, causing Honda – who is behind Ryou- to flush red and look away.)

Ryuzaki: Atleast you aren't bashed 24/7 or stuck with Haga. 

Haga (Weevil Underwood): I don't see anything wrong with being around me.

Ryuzaki: _You_ wouldn't would you?

Pegasus: I feel your pain. It seems people take great pleasure in torturing us.

Keith: Well I don't find it pleasurable. 

Kaiba:  I don't either, considering this is my mansion you're all standing in. 

Y. Bakura: My, my, someone seems touchy about his possessions.. 

Kaiba: Cram it tomb robber, now will you all please leave before this gets drastic.

Honda: Hey Jou? You thinking what I'm thinking?

Jou: Yup. It's pillow fight time!

(As it has been said: all good things must come to an end. But if the story were to never end, what would become of the characters? If the words stopped flowing, yet never announced the concluding sentence? What would happen then?)

(The plain truth is that the fic was never completed, it was left… hanging. Its world steady in the balance, the characters free to do as they please, until the words began to flow. If they ever did. This, my friends, is why I can never write "the end.")

(Hm. It seems I've forgotten Kaiba's carpet…)

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[1] Major spoiler here! In the manga, Priest Seito (who is reincarnated into Seto Kaiba) has strong feelings for a girl named Kisara – who hosts the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Unfortunately she dies. During battle ship Seto Kaiba sees his past-self sacrificing her in a flashback. (Whether it was his choice or not, I'm not sure another priest was pressuring him into sacrificing her in the manga.)

If you'd like to know more, you could check out this site (just delete the spaces):

h t t p : / / m e m b e r s . s h a w . c a / j e n n i y a h / i n d e x . h t m l 

Anzu was the reincarnation of Yami's queen? I haven't heard that one. I have, however heard that she was his adviser/friend, but I have no proof to speak of. As far as I've gone into the into the manga (battle 313) I haven't see her anywhere, which makes me wonder if she even had an ancient Egyptian past. Well, I can't say for sure, like is said before. 

(To Mokuna-Kageyo)

A/N:

Frankly this fic ended pathetically. Don't try to tell me otherwise, I know I could have done better but I had another plot running rampid through my head and I couldn't concentrate fully. I also think the amount of characters (five or more) throws me off. But that doesn't matter. As your esteems authoress I just want to thank you guys for supporting me to the end and I hope the actual end wasn't to painful (it was for me #_#). Anyway, I'm thankful for your support and comments. I love you guys!

Fictionally Yours,

Kaitourei


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